Dental-plate attachment



I. .I. DRESCH.

DENTAL PLATE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.26, 1920.

1 ,389,81 2, Patepted May 11, 1920.

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En STATES isnann J. Bunsen, or TOLEDO, OHIO.

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DENTAL-:PLATE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pattgntgd lilay 11, 1920.

Appiication filed March 26, 1920. Serial no. 388,034.

tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

In the practice of dentistry, when a dental plate or bridge is rigidly secured to one or more teeth orroots, the resuit is, that owin to the unnatural and undue stresses an strains and wear upon the abutment tooth or teeth, they frequently, and, indeed, usually, 5 in time, become irritated, loose, worn or marred, with consequent distressing results.

Efforts to avoid this difficulty by pivotally connecting the plate with the natural teeth. have been only partlysuccessful, due to the lack .of sufiicient flexibility in such connections, and due to the fact that such connections do not take into account the several complicated movements and pressures of the jaw in the process of mastication.

My invention is designed'to obviate the difiiculties and objections here indicated, and, more particularly, to furnish a simple,

strong, compact means for connecting a plate for artificial teeth with one or more natural teeth or roots in such manner that while the plate is free to accommodate itself tof th'e various stresses and strains of mastication it is still held against dislodgment.

the devices, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1', is a perspective view of the bar or plate hereinafter referred to, detached,

designed to be rigidly embedded in thesubstance of a dental plate; Fig. 2, a like view of a plate designed to be rigidly engaged with the crown or clasp of a natural anchortooth or root; Fig. 3, a side-elevation of a crown of a tooth rovided with my device, the dental plate being omitted; Fig. 4, a sideelevation, in central vertical section, showing a crowned tooth and an artificial tooth mounted on a dental plate the two being connected by means of my device; Fig. 5, a perspective View of a tooth-clasp, detached, and provided with my fastening device, and Fig. 6, the same with-the parts operatively engaged with a tooth and a dental plate.

The views in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are, for the sake of clearness, on an exaggerated scale.

Like numerals indicate like out the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 is a tooth-crown or cap,

parts throughadapted to be removably fitted upon a tooth or root2, in the usual or in any, preferred manner. 3 is a dental plate, either upper or lower, of the usual vulcanite or other suitable substance, and carrying the required number of artificial teeth 4. To the face of the crown 1, next to the plate 3, is soldered or brazed a plate 5, preferably of gold. This plate, in general outline, may be rectangular,

'except that at one end it is cut away on an angle, at each side, as shown, and is bent near its other end, at or near a right-angle,

to form a short shoulder or ledge 6. Through this ledge or shoulder is a narrow elongated aperture or slot 7. 8 isa thin flat metal strip or bar, bent near one end at an angle, as at 9, and of such width and thickness as to pass endwise, with a loose working sliding fit, through the aperture 7.- The extremity of the turned part 10, is extendedtransversely,

at the corners, as at 11.

The parts here described areassembled as follows: To the side of the detached crown or cap 1, or the clasp 12, (Figs. 5 and 6,) is soldered or brazed the plate 5, with the ledge 6 projecting outwardly. Next the smaller end of the plate or bar 8 is, passed'through To'these ends, my invention consists of thfs'lot 7 and is invested in the unvulcanized rubber of the proposed plate or bridge at such point as will bring the false and artificial teeth into proper relation while permitting a slight vertical sliding movement of the part 10 in the slot 7.: Next the rubber is vulcanized so that now the piece 8 is securely embedded and fastened in place in the plate 3. The next and final step is to place the crowns or clips,-of which there are usually two,-in position upon the appropriate teeth or roots. Now the projections 11 form stops which limit the vertical movement of the plate and prevent the separation of the crown and the plate. The contacting surfaces of the parts and limit the lateral movement as well as the tilt of the plate 3. It will be seen that the pivotal sliding connection between the parts 5 and 8 is such that while the crown or clasp remains relatively stationary, the plate will yield 1 slightly, at either side, to vertical, transverse or tilting pressures caused by mastication. Thus the stresses and strains usually resulting from rigid connections between fixed teeth and dental plates are relieved, and the objectionable eflects above pointed out are avoided. 1

Having describedmy invention, what I claim and desire to, secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a device of the described character, a member adapted for rigid connection with the side of a tooth-crown and being bent to form a projecting ledge, said ledge having therethrough an aperture, and a companion member which is bent at an angle and adapt- 1,see,e12

ed at one end for limited slidable pivotal movement in said aperture, the other end of said member being adapted for rigid engagement-with a dental plate.

2. In a device of the described character, a member adapted for rigid connection with a tooth-crown and having an outstanding ledge through which is an aperture, a companion member adapted for rigid connection with a dental plate and having a portion which projects through said aperture, said projecting portion being provided with means which limit the vertical and lateral movements of said companion member relatively to the member first mentioned.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

v I. J. DRESCH. Witnesses:

4 WM. J. Fnrrsonn,

MARY CHisrroLM. 

